The Great Nations of Europe

The Great Nations of Europe had gathered on the shore
They’d conquered what was behind them
And now they wanted more
So they looked to the mighty ocean
And took to the Western sea
The great nations of Europe in the 16th century
Hide your wives and daughters, hide the groceries too
The great nations of Europe comin through
The Grand Canary Islands first land to which they came
They slaughtered all the canaries there
Which gave the land its name
There were natives there called Guanches
Guanches by the score
But bullets, disease, the Portuguese…
They weren’t there any more
Now they’re gone, they’re gone, they’re really gone
You never seen anyone so gone
There’s pictures in a museum, some lines written in a book
But you won’t find a live one, no matter where you look
Hide your wives and daughters, hide the groceries too
The great nations of Europe comin through